Buckie councillor moves to Egypt - without telling constituents

A Moray councillor has moved to Africa, without telling his constituents.

Independent councillor Neil McLennan, originally elected to represent the Conservatives, has held a seat in the Buckie ward since the council elections in May 2022.

However, he will now be answering his constituents’ emails from Cairo, Egypt – around 2500 miles from his ward - where he has moved without any public announcement.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr McLennan is working in Cairo as a depute head at Malvern College, a British international school.

His previous teaching post was at Nairn academy.

Cllr McLennan can be seen in videos and photos introducing the new staff ahead of the children returning to school after their summer break.

Despite his move to Africa, Cllr McLennan has not given-up his Buckie post, meaning he will be entitled to his annual £26,000 salary from Moray Council.

In a post put up by Malvern College on August 19 he can be seen in the background of pictures of a staff introduction day, held at the school in Cairo. The date for the event is not stated.

On September 1, Cllr McLennan can be seen in a video posted by the school, looking very excited about starting his new role.

Term-time for Malvern officially started on September 6 as children attend school on Sundays in Egypt. On September 9, Cllr McLennan posted a picture of himself on Facebook in a car showroom in Cairo.

But the councillor’s official Facebook page looks very different.

He has posted about a Buckie business and an abandoned car near Rathven in the last week, with no mention of Egypt.

According to the Moray councillors eligibility test, you only need to live in the Moray area at the time of election. You do need to reside in the area once elected.

However, one of the key roles of a councillor, according to the Moray Council website, is to “spend a great deal of time with constituents through holding drop-in surgeries”.

The next Moray Council election is scheduled for May 2027.

Full statement from Cllr McLennan

In a statment provided to our news team, Neil McLennan says he will continue to fulfil his responsibilities as a councillor.

He said: I remain fully committed to serving the people of Buckie and Findochty.

"I will continue to fulfil my responsibilities as a councillor and remain accessible to constituents, as well as continuing my work on the issues affecting the communities I represent.

"I believe councillors should ultimately be judged on their record: the casework they undertake, the issues they pursue and the outcomes they achieve for their communities.

"My priorities have not changed.

"I remain focused on ensuring that concerns surrounding the handling of child safeguarding are properly examined and that lessons are learned to strengthen protection for children.

"I remain focused on securing the investment Buckie needs in its Community High School.

"And I remain committed to good governance, scrutiny and ensuring that those exercising public power are properly accountable.

"For some time I have divided my professional commitments between Moray and the Highlands, London and international education work.

"I am privileged to contribute to educational improvement internationally, while continuing to carry out my responsibilities to the people who elected me.

"There will inevitably be political criticism. I do not intend to be distracted by it. I would rather be judged on what I actually do for constituents and on the issues I have consistently pursued.

"My attention will remain where I believe it belongs: helping constituents, standing up for Buckie and Findochty, seeking better outcomes for children and vulnerable people, and asking difficult questions where accountability is required.

"Those are the responsibilities I intend to continue undertaking.

"Other parties or people may wish their own other commitments and time out of Moray and reflect on both historic cases and also that parties have recently been trying to recruit candidates who they know full well work internationally.

"Politicians know what the Local Government Scotland Act 2003 stated and permits. They also know what the Higgins v Standards Commission case judgement confirms."

Calls to resign

Independent Councillor Derek Ross, who represents the Speyside Glenlivet ward, is calling on his fellow councillor to resign. 

He said: "He should perhaps ask his constituents for their views on this matter. 

"Personally, I would like there to be a by-election and for Councillor McLennan to resign. 

"We have a responsibility to be within our communities and to be able to represent those communities from within them. 

"I don't think he's representing them from Cairo."

We have contacted Moray Council for comment.